Everything You Know About Dexamethasone

Dexamethasone's a strong, strong prescription. It's so strong! Men, you know what it does: gets rid of inflammation! You'll take it by mouth or use it topically more of the time. But guess what? It's offered as an IV injection and as an eye drop too. Sadly, men, you know it triggers lots of side effects. Huge, huge ones! That's why you've got to keep in contact with your doc. They've got to know right away about all side effects! This is so, so important for infection signs. So important.

Men, you'll take this one as a treatment for ulcerative colitis. You'll even want a dexamethasone pill to be part of your arthritis treatment! It'll also tackle skin conditions. It's a great eczema treatment. So great! But men, you've got to understand how it works before you use it for treating anything, even as a topical medication for psoriasis.

How It Works

Dexamethasone's so powerful, so powerful. Men, you need this med on your side! It's a corticosteroid. You know what that means, men, you do. Everyone does. This med's going to get rid of inflammation! That said, it'll weaken your immune system a little too. This med works by stopping white blood cells from getting to your inflammation. That's what makes it disappear, men! But hold your horses, because white blood cells are what fight infections for you. The result is that this drug makes you a little more likely to see more infections! Men, there's more. This med also helps adrenal insufficiency. How? By replacing the hormones your adrenal gland should've made!

Best Uses

Men, you're going to get this med for treating arthritis. It'll tackle many forms of it, like gout and rheumatoid arthritis. What a win, right? This med's going to work wonders on flare-ups of so many, so many other conditions too. Some huge ones? Ulcerative colitis, MS, and myasthenia gravis, obviously! This med helps many, many men with skin issues like psoriasis and eczema too. Amazing! The best.

There are more uses for this one too! Men, dexamethasone's great when you need chemo. You'll get it beforehand to tackle side effects and inflammation! Many, many people say it even treats some types of cancer, like leukemia, too. Win. You can say goodbye to swelling from brain and spinal cord tumors too. This med even treats eye inflammation, allergic reactions, and anything that causes breathing problems! So great.

Side Effects

Yes, men, you know about the side effects! Dexamethasone's got them, just like other meds. The most common are obvious, so obvious. They include headaches, mood changes, blurry vision, and dizziness! Don't be surprised to deal with irritability, anxiety, or agitation either. Men, more side effects are depression, trouble speaking or walking, and an increased appetite. That last one's clearly why you'll see weight gain as a side effect too! Some men see things like less pee, heartbeat changes, tingling in the legs and arms, swelling in the feet and hands, and an irregular heart rhythm on this med as well.

There are rare effects too. Men, you know them: eye pain, abdominal pain, and backaches. Skin lightening, hair loss, red face, and abdominal swelling are rarer also! Talk to your doc about all side effects. They're your backup, and they'll help you manage the side effects very well!

Precautions

Men, you've got to take precautions with this med! Talk to your doc about your medical history. This med's not safe when you have a fungal infection, and any history of thyroid issues, liver disease, or diabetes. Men, you know you need a different med with diabetes. This one makes your blood sugar rise! Obviously, you know about mentioning a history of stomach ulcers, high blood pressure, heart failure, and depression too.

Remember, this med puts you at risk of infections! That's why it's so obvious to be cautious. You've got to call your doc right away if you know you've been exposed to measles or chickenpox. They have to treat you very fast, very fast, to avoid complications. Men, don't get vaccines with live viruses either. And, obviously, remember that this med makes vaccines less effective! They do. Everyone is talking about it. And men? Talk to your doc when you want to stop this med. Their supervision lets you avoid withdrawal!

Med Interactions

Dexamethasone's going to interact with over 650 other meds. Men, you know over 100 of these are serious interactions! That's why your doc has to know about everything you take. Yes, everything! List out your prescriptions, OTC drugs, and supplements. Your pharmacist will double-check this after your doc. You've got all the safeguards you need to avoid med interactions!

Men, dexamethasone's going to interact with many cancer drugs. You know the ones: two are dasatinib and rilpivirine. You've got to avoid these huge, huge interactions. You'll either need adjusted doses or new meds! There are more interactions, men, many more. Some blood thinners, NSAIDs, and antiplatelet drugs are going to interact with this one too. Men, you've often got to stop taking them when you're on it. That includes a daily Aspirin. Talk to your doc before you do, though.